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I've asked this question on so many Forums and never had a response.
Vicente Gomez played a flamenco dance in the famous cafe scene in the 1950's movie "Snows of Kilimanjaro". For many years I've been trying to identify this piece and see if I can get a TAB or music for it.
Its very hard to pick up from the movie sound track due to the dialogue between Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner, but it sounds like a Moorish-style tango flamenco with a zambra at the end.
Anybody have any idea what this piece is, or where I might locate it?
Posts: 1812
Joined: Nov. 8 2010
From: London (living in the Bay Area)
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
Is it on YouTube? There are several scenes from that movie there.
Vicente died in 2001. All his music and the photographs from his career are in the care of Ron Purcell at California State University, Northridge. I have to contact Ron in a few weeks, I'll ask.
Vicente was a lovely old chap, one of the most charming people I've met. I took Paco Peña to meet him one time, when Paco was playing in Burbank. Here he is with Vicente and his wife Betty:
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RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
i remembered seeing a book in a music shop of this guy, and i've seen a vid from youtube posted here before.... i came across a cd and book browsing on another website, i don't know if they are available across the water, but here is the uk website (i'm sure they would mail anywhere in the world)
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
I have "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" on an old VHS tape, but my VCR is broken. I'll have a new one in a while, and then maybe I'll be able to tell you.
Note to Paul M - I studied classical and flamenco guitar with Vicente in the seventies, and he was one of the most wonderful and charming people I have ever known. I was also friendly with Ron Purcell when I was a member of the American Guitar Society.
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
quote:
but it sounds like a Moorish-style tango flamenco with a zambra at the end.
I think Ricardo may have hit on it. Somewhere I have two books of his music that Vicente gave me, and I remember that in one of them was the sheet music for "Granada Arabe." I recall it was subtitled "Zambra Mora," so that sounds close to what you describe above.
However, A) it's written in standard notation, and you said you needed tabs, and B) I don't know where it is. I think it's buried in storage with a huge pile of old sheet music and books, but I'll take a look around.
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
Thank you all for our responses. I have a VHS of the movie, and have tried learning snatches of the piece that can be heard between the dialogue. Vicente is shown playing, but from the back, so you can not see his fingers.
I have a suspicion he may have comosed this piece specifically for the movie scene, but there are parts of it that sound vaguely familiar with some flamenco ideas. The male dancer in the scene is Richard Allen, who I have never heard of.
If you can contact Ron Purcell somehow and ask him if there was in fact a title or any form of music for this piece, I would be most gratefull. I'm 76 years old, and I first heard this in the movie in the late '50's and have been trying to identify it ever since, with many dead ends but no success.
God luck guys, and Happy New Year to you all . . .
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece - update (in reply to britguy)
Thanks to your help, I received an email direct from Ron Purcell, via Tom Heck, the AGS librarian.
He advises me that Vicente wrote two pieces for this movie; "Granada Arabe" and "Gitana".
I checked with the Northridge library and they have them in their archives, but scored for two and three guitars. Not sure if I can use these?
Do any of you guys know where I can find music, Tabs, CD whatever, for solo guitar for these two pieces?
I found a short preview snatch of "Ganada Arabe" on a Segovia CD of Gomez' music, but played almost twice the speed Vicente played in the movie? And some of the notes do not sound exactly the same?
But, I'm getting there. One of these days I'll have this piece, sounding something like the movie ( live in hopes. . . )
Posts: 1025
Joined: Oct. 14 2009
From: New York City
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
About a year ago I sent you sheet music for this piece, which Gomez entitled "Granada Arabe." But you said you can't read standard notation.
I just stumbled onto a complete recording of this by Vicente himself on YouTube, which is what you were originally looking for. Here is a YouTube link:
RE: Vicente Gomez movie piece????? (in reply to britguy)
quote:
britguy heres a link to the sheet music for Granada Arabe
Thanks. Actually this score is not exactly the way Vicente played it in the movie. He modified it somewhat to fit the scenario and the dance routine I think?
Thanks to a valuable referral from this Foro (Paul Magnussen), Dr. Ron Purcell kindly sent me a copy of the actual score from the movie, hand-written ( I believe) by Vicente with his notes, etc. ( From the archives at Uni North Cal at Northwood.)
That's when I found out it was actually scored and played in the movie by TWO guitars (Vicente and Vicente) and I realized why I had been having so many problems trying to copy it from the movie soundtrack!. I've since beenm trying to figure out a way to play it on one guitar.
Not easy, especially for a geriatric old creep like me. But at least now I can sound something vaguely like the movie sound track. Only took me 54 years.
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